Back to stories list
Regular PDFs (full-page)
Bilingual PDFs
Booklet PDFs (for printing)
Hapo zamani za kale, paliishi familia yenye furaha.
Once upon a time,
there lived a happy
family.
Patile akantu, kwali ulupwa ulwaleikala ulwasansamuka.
Hawakugombana hata kidogo. Watoto waliwasaidia wazazi nyumbani na shambani.
They never fought with
each other. They helped
their parents at home
and in the fields.
Tabatalile abalwa bekabeka. Baleyafwa abafyashi babo pa ng’anda na mu ibala.
Lakini, walikatazwa kwenda karibu na moto.
But they were not
allowed to go near a
fire.
Lelo tabasuminishiwe ukupalama ku mulilo.
Walifanya kazi zao zote usiku. Hii ni kwa sababu walikuwa wameumbwa kwa nta.
They had to do all their
work during the night.
Because they were made of wax!
Balebomba imilimo yabo yonse ubushiku. Pantu bapangilwe na ipula.
Lakini, kijana mmoja alitamani kwenda nje wakati wa mchana.
But one of the boys
longed to go out in the
sunlight.
Lelo umulumendo umo alifulwike ukuya panse mu kasuba.
Siku moja tamaa ya kwenda nje ikazidi. Wenzake wakamwonya asiende juani. Lakini, hakusikia.
One day the longing
was too strong. His
brothers warned him…
Bushiku bumo ukufuluka kwalicililemo. Ba ndume yakwe balimucengeshe.
Aliyeyuka kwa sababu joto lilikuwa kali.
But it was too late!
He melted in the hot
sun.
Lelo inshita yalipitile kale. Alisungulwike mu kasuba akakaba.
Watoto wa nta walihuzunika walipoona kaka yao akiyeyuka.
The wax children were
so sad to see their
brother melting away.
Abana ba ipula bali ababulanda pakumona uko ndume yabo alesunguluka.
Wakapanga jambo fulani. Walichukua nta iliyoyeyuka wakatengeza ndege.
But they made a plan.
They shaped the lump
of melted wax into a
bird.
Lelo balyumfwene. Balipangile icuuni ukufuma ku ipula ilya sungulwike.
Wakamweka ndege huyo juu ya mlima mrefu.
They took their bird
brother up to a high
mountain.
Balisendele ndume yabo mu cuuni pa mulu walupili ulutali.
Jua lilipochomoza asubuhi, akapeperuka akiimba kwa furaha.
And as the sun rose, he
flew away singing into
the morning light.
Elyo lintu akasuba katulile, alipupwike aleimba mu cengelo ca lucelo.
Written by: Southern African Folktale
Illustrated by: Wiehan de Jager
Translated by: Mutugi Kamundi
Read by: Lauwo George
